


Waiting For The Calm After The Storm

by RosevalleyNB



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adultery, Divorce, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Hogwarts AU, Stalking, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:46:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23635546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosevalleyNB/pseuds/RosevalleyNB
Summary: In a world of magic and potions, one should never trust their own eyes. Katie and Marcus find out the hard way.
Relationships: Adriane Pucey/Leanne, Katie Bell/Marcus Flint, Katie Bell/Multiple (implied), Terence Higgs/Alicia Spinnet
Comments: 5
Kudos: 14





	1. Snapshots of deceit

**Author's Note:**

> Usual disclaimers apply: it all belongs to JK. I'm merely playing on her sandbox.
> 
> Repost of a WIP I started a few years back.

He pushed her hard up against the brick wall in the shadowy alley, not caring whether he hurt her or not, and crashed his mouths onto hers, sucking and biting. Diagon Alley, busy with visitors this time of day, was just a few feet away from them. The possibility of getting caught added, even more, excitement to their illicit tryst. In fact, today’s sole goal _was_ to be caught. Getting off in the process was just a bonus.

She bucked her hips, forcing him to move and finally give her what he had teased her with for so long. The first two buttons of her blouse had come undone, offering him a glimpse of a red lace bra. His mouth travelled from her lips down her throat to the curves of her firm breasts. His hand hiked up the hem of her skirt, fingers tracing the lines of the garter belt resting on her smooth skin. 

The woman let out a moan when he sneaked his fingers inside her flimsy knickers, ghosting along her wet slit before clinching her clit. She threw her head back as a low guttural moan escaped from her plump red lips. When he wanted to withdraw, she grabbed his wrist, forcing his hand to stay where it was and give her proper fingerfuck.

Oh, how he wanted to, but he wouldn’t. Today was just a teaser for what was to come. He cupped her mound roughly to give her some pressure and buried his face between her breasts again. Somewhere in the distance, he heard the shutter of a camera go off. For the fun of it, he draped the woman’s leg over his hip and tugged her knickers down for everyone to see. It needed to look good, after all.

“Say my name,” he whispered in her ear and bit the lobe as he squeezed her round arse at the same time. He could hardly wait to pound that. Oh, Merlin, he was going to one day, rough and hard until she begged him to stop.

“Fred,” she whispered huskily.

“Louder, they can’t hear you.” He smacked her bared thigh to put more heat behind his words. The hiss of pleasure from her was music to his ears. He wanted, no needed, for people to hear her moan the name he had donned for today. The sooner the rumour mill started running, the better.

“Fred,” she repeated, much louder this time. 

From the corner of his eye, he saw the picture-taking shadow disappear in the masses of Diagon Alley. When Fred was sure that the man had left, he reluctantly detangled himself from the woman. Hopefully, the bloke would keep his end of the bargain and have the photographs delivered within the hour.

“Hey,” she whined, “Not fair, I was just getting started.”

“We’ll have another go on Wednesday, Mrs Flint,” he replied, regret lacing his voice. His erection strained in his trousers, throbbing in eagerness to dip inside her. But their hour was almost up, and it wouldn’t be the same otherwise. He wanted their first fuck caught on film for others to see and one person in particular.

She rolled her eyes at the use of the name as she pulled up her knickers and straightened her clothes. Her lips were swollen and bruised, and her usually well-kept hair was an utter mess. Where he had sucked and bitten, angry red spots welled up on the sensitive skin of her throat. He frowned at the sight. He needed to be more careful next time if he wanted his plan to succeed. Something as insignificant as a bite could ruin everything.

“I need to get to the office, anyway. My dear husband is waiting for me.” She pecked his lips and then pulled his head back by his flaming red hair. “I’ll see you Wednesday night at eight at the Leaky, yeah?”

“Room three-ten. The pub should be nice and busy when you walk up,” he confirmed, cursing himself for his self-imposed restraint. He loved it when she got rough with him; it was an exciting addition to the sweetness and modesty usually associated with her. “Make sure Tom sees you, and I’ll make sure that he’ll hear you.”

“Challenge accepted, _Fred_.” Katie let go, and when she was sure that she looked like herself again, she walked out the alley with swaying hips and without a glance back. 

Wednesday promised to be fun.

* * *

“Two drops of the potion and poof, it was gone,” his Katie concluded before bursting out into a fit of giggles. She lay naked on her stomach on the bed as she sipped from her overflowing cup of rum. Her long brown hair fell over her shoulders, covering her breasts and conveniently obscuring them from his lustful gaze.

The curtains were open, allowing a clear view of what they were doing to anyone who wanted to see. In the building across from the Leaky, someone did. A man was observing, he knew. He hoped that the private eye had rubbed one out while he was watching them earlier. It must get boring, after all, locked up all alone for hours with nothing to do but wait.

However, the man across the street couldn’t hold his attention as much as the woman on the bed did. He was as naked as her, his hair still sweaty from their romp earlier. He studied her intently from the chair he was sitting in. The waiting had been well worth it, he decided. She was as wild as she had promised, and then some. Still, he couldn’t shake off the disappointment he felt; no matter how good of a fuck, she hadn’t managed to fulfil his fantasies. Yet. They’d have to work on that.

“Why did you marry him, then?” he asked in a bored tone when she finished bemoaning Flint. Eager for wanting this part to be over without losing his mind, he took another big gulp of rum. 

His Katie laughed at the question and rolled onto her back to stretch out. “Why not? He has money, money and…wait, there is something else.” She tapped her chin, feigning to think hard. “Oh, yes, money. Come on, darling. You honestly don’t believe that I fell for his charms or good looks, do you?”

“You could’ve fooled me,” he mumbled sourly and looked away. He had waited for years to hear his Katie say that, but it still wasn’t the same. Nothing ever was.

“Are you jealous?” she asked teasingly. When no answer came, she stood up with a sigh and walked over to him. “Are you jealous, _Cormac_?”

He didn’t look at her face, only stared at her glorious breasts, full and round with dark brown nipples that seemed to look right at him. His enjoyment diminished when the fine silver lines on her pale skin caught his attention. Why hadn’t he noticed them earlier? He lowered his eyes to her stomach; the same faint vertical lines marred her skin there as well. Another reminder that she had borne Flint’s spawn a few months ago. A sudden rage filled him. It should have been his child; _she_ should have been his from the start.

“Go clean yourself. We’re done for today,” he snapped. His earlier horniness had disappeared like snow in the sun at the sight of the stretch marks. When she didn’t move fast enough to his liking, he stood up and gave her a hard shove. 

“Go wash up,” hebit out.

Stunned by his sudden mood change, his Katie’s mouth opened and closed a few times without a sound coming out. Eventually, she hung her head like a scolded child and without further protest, disappeared into the small adjacent bathroom. As soon as she was out of sight, he closed the curtains; he didn’t need an audience for this part. 

It was time to harvest his memories before they became too clouded.

* * *

To his great disappointment, the ladies room on the first floor of Flint Industries was otherwise empty. He had hoped on an audience for this part. The more, the merrier, in fact. His only consolation was that later on when they walked out together, the gossip mill would go into overdrive. It was the ultimate betrayal, after all; the boss’ wife cheating on him right under his nose. A shuddered breath escaped him, and he nearly sank to his knees when Katie rolled his balls in her palm and sucked on the sensitive skin of his sack.

Right, he had a job to do. Today, he was the one taking pictures as an early Valentine’s gift for the jilted husband. Today, his name was Lee Jordan, the lucky sod receiving the best blowjob of his life. Courtesy of Marcus Flint’s wife. There was no better way to start the day, in his opinion. He could wake up to this every morning for the rest of his life without complaint. With a wee bit of luck, he’d get to fulfil that wish soon.

“Look up,” he ordered hoarsely. Seeing Katie’s head bop between his legs, hearing the sucking sounds she was making and feeling her hot mouth around his cock; it was all too much. It took all of his self-control not to release his load then and there.

When she did as ordered -her big brown eyes full of innocence and her mouth overflowing with his hard brown cock, he took the first shot. The flash made the shiny trace of her saliva mixed with his precum on her chin visible. Her red lipstick had smeared around her mouth and on his shaft. The sight obliterated the last shards of discipline he had left.

He took a few more pictures in rapid succession, making sure that the Flint crest on the stall doors was visible behind her, and then gave up. He closed his eyes and threw his head back against the wall as his fingers knotted in her hair, firmly guiding her movements. All he could do for now was to enjoy was his Katie was giving him.

He could only hope that when the time came, the real thing would be even better than this.

* * *

“Shaw came to see him today,” his Katie said casually and took a sip from her hot tea.

“Already?” He leant over the table as he waited for more. When his Katie stayed quiet, he pulled back with a huff. “I would have expected him to wait another few days, collect more evidence and all. Do you think he has enough to convince Flint?”

“Why should I care?” she said with a shrug as her eyes nervously darted around.

The Prancing Pixie was chock-full this afternoon, and it felt as if every eye in the room was on her. It was the first time that they were out in the open like this, and she expected the heavens to fall on them at any moment. 

“Why should you not care, love? If Shaw manages to convince him, it will be the end for us. Wouldn’t you miss me? Miss the excitement of being...naughty?”

Her eyes briefly flitted up from her steaming cup of tea. Wood’s sleazy grin irked her for some reason. It almost made her feel guilty. Almost.

“I’ll survive,” she lied and busied herself with the sugar pot. The many eyes on them were getting on her nerves.

“Whatever you say, Princess.” He didn’t need to be a mind reader to know what her problem was. Expressions of guilt and regret took turns flashing across her face. When did she develop a conscience?

“I can see you thinking over there.” Today, he was Oliver Wood, Puddlemere United Captain and the thorn in Flint’s side since their first year at Hogwarts. It was an opportunity too good to pass. He took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her fingers, staring deep into her eyes. Gods, he could drown in those dark depths. “Don’t worry that pretty head of yours; it’ll take away from the fun.”

As expected, several of the people who had been eyeing them warily earlier, began their hushed whispers and not so discrete pointing. Just to add more fuel to the fire, he beckoned her for a kiss. He was sad to see their little adventure come to an end. If he had to be honest, he was going to miss her and all the things she let him do to her.

At a table behind her, Adrian Pucey was slowly turning an unhealthy shade of purple. He was practically foaming at the mouth. Oliver winked at him; having the troll’s cousin here was the icing on his cake.

“I’ve had enough fun, thank you very much.” Still, despite her snappish tone, she leant over to collect her kiss. It would be their last for the time being. She wanted to cherish the moment.

After today, nothing would be the same again. All she could do was to sit back and watch the drama unfold.


	2. Mums and Best Friends

**Six months later**

“Are you alright, love?” Ellis Bell asked as she poured tea for her daughter. “You haven’t eaten anything yet.”

Katie blinked a few before she remembered to plaster a smile on her face and lie to her mother. Perhaps, having breakfast with today hadn’t been such a great idea. She hastily swallowed down the lump in her throat. “I’m fine, Mum. A bit tired, we had a busy night a St Mungo’s.” 

It wasn’t a complete lie, it had been a busy night. Friday evenings usually were. Like their Muggle counterparts, wizards and witches knew too how to party and that unfortunately often came with consequences. Drunken magical folk was guaranteed a recipe for disaster.

Ellis Bell hummed, her lips pressed in a grim line. She knew her daughter well enough to know when she was lying. “What’s he done now?”

Katie carefully laid her knife down and poured milk in her tea. She refused to look her mother in the eye because a simple glance was usually enough to make Katie spill anything she was hiding. They were close, but there were still some subjects Katie wasn’t comfortable sharing.

“Nothing happened, Mum,” began Katie but then realised she was just too tired to keep it up. “Marcus wants to go ahead with the divorce.”

How stupid had she been to think that they could have worked out their problems? 

“I can’t believe Lenore allows that pig-headed boy of hers to treat you like that.” Ellis fumed on the inside, and it took all her strength not to burst out in tirade about those damned Flints. “Bad news, if you ask me, the lot of them.”

“She’s still mourning, Mum. Besides, this is between Marcus and me,” said Katie, feebly trying to defend her mother-in-law. “She can’t make Marcus do anything he doesn’t want to do, you must know that by now.”

Ellis huffed in disapproval but didn’t comment further. 

“Mum,” Katie cut her off and shook her head, pleadingly. “Don’t, please.”

Ellis didn’t listen, though; she was on a roll now. “I knew that boy was trouble from the moment he stepped through that door. You should have listened to me and given that other one, what’s his name, a chance. He was nice enough and polite. He wouldn’t have treated you like this, not over some rumour.”

Katie snorted at the rumour mark and calmly sipped from her tea, letting her mother ramble on. She could feel a headache coming up and was thankful for it. Now she had a real excuse to cut this morning short. There was no stopping her mother when she got like this.

“Are you done?” she asked when her mother stopped for a breath. Her head was pounding already. 

“How can you be so calm about this?” Ellis asked in disbelief. “That bastard kicked you out without stopping to think twice. You ought to be raising havoc, drag his arse before the Wizengamot and make him bleed Galleons.”

“I don’t need his money,” Katie bit out. “I’m doing fine on my own.”

Ellis seemed to deflate at that and flashed her daughter a watery smile. “Renting a shoebox and borrowing clothes to wear to a wedding is not doing fine. I wish I had enough money-” 

“Mum, please,” Katie cut her off again. “It’s done. I’ll manage, just like you’ve taught me.”

“You deserve so much better,” Ellis sniffled as she dabbed her eyes with the end of the tablecloth. “I wanted so much for you.”

Katie sighed as she reached over the table to grab her mother’s hand. “I’ll be fine, Mum. I’ve just a few more months left of my Mediwitch training. I’ll manage until then.”

Ellis didn’t listen, though. She kept on crying and warbling about how she had failed her only child. Her ramblings grew more agitated, less comprehensible as the seconds ticked away. There was no reasoning with her mother she got like this. Before you knew it, she’d come up with a theory on how Marcus had assassinated Tom Riddle, a candidate for the function of Minister for Magic, a few decades ago. Or even blame Katie for it, you’d never know with Ellis. 

Katie quickly pushed her chair back and darted to the cupboards. She found was she was looking for in the very back of the highest cupboard; a dusty set of eight green coloured phials, all still unopened. 

“You forgot to take your potions again,” said Katie, frustration tinging her voice. The only response was warbling about Riddle’s assassination. “Drink your tea, Mum, before I go home.” Katie emptied one of the phials in her mother’s teacup and helped it to her mouth. “You must be thirsty with all that talking.”

Ellis nodded as she looked up in gratitude and gulped down the lipid tea. As expected, it didn’t take long for the potion to take hold. Katie helped her mother’s nearly limp body to the sofa in the living room and covered her with a blanket.

“Take a good nap, Mum. I’ll drop by before the wedding to check on you, yeah?” she whispered in her mother’s ear. “We’ll figure out something.”

Ellis nodded sleepily and slowly, her eyes drooped close. Reverently, Katie wiped away a lock of salt-and-pepper colour hair from her forehead. When she was sure enough that her mother was asleep, she quietly got ready to leave.

Just as Katie walked out of the door, Ellis sleepily called out to her. “Come back home, love. I miss you.”

Other than let her shoulders slump, Katie didn’t respond. Moving back with her mother would probably happen sooner than later as it was. Interning at St Mungo’s didn’t pay nearly enough to pay for her own rent, let alone the potions she knew her mother needed.

Maybe she ought to take her mum’s advice and make Marcus bleed galleons.

* * *

The ballroom was magnificently decorated for the wedding party. Colourful banners adorned the walls and ceilings while fairy lights stretched out from corner to corner and wrapped around the pillars gave the room an intimate feel. The extravagant floral arrangement with sweet scenting roses and lilies finished it all off. House-elves walked around with trays filled with hor’s d’ oeuvres and pink champagne. Couples danced to the melodious tunes played by Britain’s best Wizarding orchestra. In the centre, the groom firmly held onto his bride, whispering in her ear as they slowly dancing out of rhythm.

From a far corner, Katie watched her best friend Angelina swaying in the arms of her husband, Graham Montague. A wistful smile played on her lips as she watched the couple with a sense of longing. Had it really been a few years since her own wedding? The lump in her throat that had been steadily growing throughout the day suddenly became too big to swallow. She averted her eyes and took a sip of her champagne.

Tears pricked at her eyes at the memories of one of the happiest days of her life. She had loved and had felt loved. And even though it turned out that their love had an expiration date, she still loved Marcus. But sometimes, on her bad days, she wished that their paths had never crossed. 

“How are you holding up?” Alicia interrupted her musings. She had been doing that the whole day, afraid that Katie would fall apart at any second. 

“I’m alright, Ali. Stop your worrying.” And she meant it. She’d break down after the wedding. If there was one thing her failed marriage had taught her, was not to show any emotion in public. Never show your weaknesses to others. Her tears and anger would come when she was alone in her flat.

“Fine. But as soon as you want to leave, you’ll let me know, yeah? I’ll come with you, no questions asked.” Alicia briefly squeezed her hand. “Angie’ll understand. She’s lucky you even bothered to come at all after she chucked you as a bridesmaid.” Her tone was unmistakable. Her anger with Angie on behalf of Katie still hadn’t subsided.

“She didn’t chuck me. She nearly called off the wedding when Graham wanted to revoke my invitation.”

Katie sighed and tucked an escaped strand of hair behind her ear. “I didn’t want her big day to be overshadowed by my problems. Mar-” She cleared her throat at her near slip-up and took a deep breath to keep the quiver out of her voice. “He is Graham’s cousin, blood family, and the best man at that. It was easier for me to take a step back than to ask him to do so. Can you imagine us standing at the altar together? We’re not what you’d call the shining example of a happy couple, are we? It would have brought them bad luck.”

“Still, she could have put up more of a fight,” Alicia insisted. “I mean, she accepted it far too easily. If it had been me, I would have moved heaven and earth to find a solution.”

“That why you lurv you, darling.” Katie threw an arm around Alicia’s shoulders and pulled her close. She was thankful that she still had a few friends who believed her side of the story. There were plenty of people, who she had thought to be friends, who had turned their backs on her. “But… just let it rest, okay? Let’s enjoy the wedding for what it is, please?”

Alicia wanted to protest, but bit her tongue and glared at her friend. Despite the charms and makeup, the dark circles under Katie’s eyes were still visible, and she was far too skinny. Seeing her friend’s frailty and the sadness in her eyes had Alicia’s shoulders slump resignation. Katie was right, though; they ought to enjoy the night for what it was. She was out of the house for the first time in months. That alone was a miracle.

And if she was honest, Alicia was very proud of Katie. She had withstood angry looks, scathing remarks, and uncomfortable run-ins with her almost ex-in-laws and husband. If it had been her, she would probably have crawled into a corner and bawled her eyes out. Not Katie, though. She had managed to keep her head high and had offered anyone who crossed her path a kind smile.

“So, on another note, how’s your date working out?” asked Alicia, changing the subject. Hearing Katie laugh was music to her ears, better than what the orchestra was playing. It had been too damn long since she had last heard it.

“You mean the one who is slamming Firewhisky at an alarming rate at the bar? The one who is most likely to start crying any minute now how all men in his life are nothing but big piles of dung and probably out himself in the process?” Katie grinned and made a grab at one of the trays with the salmon puffs. “Cedric is a blast,” she said between bites.

Alicia sniggered, and out of curiosity, she craned her neck to see what was going on at the bar. Yeah, that didn’t look all that great. By what she could see, Cedric was already telling his life story to the incredibly bored-looking bartender. “Poor guy. His life must be hell right now.”

“Whose life? Ced’s or the bartender’s?” Katie asked.

“Both.”

Katie chuckled and shook her head. “The first won’t remember a thing in the morning, and the latter will be traumatised for life.”

“Or, end up in Ced’s bed, sell his story to the Prophet, and become famous overnight.” 

Katie tried to keep a straight face; someone had to be an adult. “He’s not that easy, give him some credit. He has a reputation to uphold.” 

“Who, Cedric?” Alicia frowned, were they talking about the same man-slut Diggory?

Katie pursed her lips as she looked at the bar, thinking hard. “The bartender,” she conceded and burst out into laughter again. It felt good to laugh, made her feel alive again. Merlin only knew how long it had been since she had felt like that.

_‘Five months, three weeks and four days. Give or take a few hours.’_

The lump in her throat returned with a vengeance, and her laughter died on her quivering lips. Why did she have to do that to herself? After a whole day without much trouble, a runaway thought managed to rattle her to her core. Suddenly, the room felt too hot and too small. She needed to get out for fresh air.

“Hey, Ali? I need to use the loo. I’ll be right back.”

“Why, what’s wrong? What happened?” Alicia asked worriedly.

Katie shook her head in assurance. “Just give me a few minutes, yeah?” She walked away without waiting for an answer and made her way to the back gardens.

* * *

From the other side of the room, Marcus Flint watched his estranged wife leave in a hurry. If it hadn’t been for his pride, he would have been inclined to follow her to see what was wrong and if she was all right. He had to remind himself that she had forfeited his compassion a long time ago.

“Your ex is looking rather delightful tonight,” Terence drawled as he, too, watched the brunette leave the room. Perhaps it was the liquor talking, but if he could get his hands on her for one night, he would die a happy man. “Damn, that dress fits her like a glove. I wonder if it peels off like one as well.”

“She’s still my wife, so watch your words,” Marcus commented gruffly and craned his neck to see if Diggory was following her. If he were, there would be hell to pay. He refused to put up with that kind of behaviour of hers in public, not as long as she carried his name. 

“Ah, man,” Terence sighed in frustration and took another big gulp of his Firewhisky, loosening his tongue even more. “She’s still bound to you? And here I thought that I’d be able to bang her tonight. You don’t want her anymore, mate, the least you can do is to set her free for the rest of us.”

Marcus stared at Terence in furious disbelief. Where the hell did that came from? The blighter was supposed to be one of his best friends. “What did you just say?” 

He had been on pins and needles all day because she would be here, despite Graham’s earlier reassurances that she wouldn’t. Then he had to watch her flaunt Diggory around the whole day as if it were nothing. To his frustration, he then had to watch how he put his hands on Katie each chance he got. He needed her to go away. What he did not need was one of his friends tell him that they would like to shag her. No matter what, she was still his wife until the divorce papers said otherwise.

“What? At least, I’m willing to wait until you divorce her. I hear others weren’t that decent.” The narrowing of Marcus’ eyes and clenching of his jaws told Terence that he had hit a nerve. He still couldn’t find it in himself to care. So, he rubbed more salt into the wound.

“You didn’t think that people would talk? I hear she’s an animal in the sack. I’ve seen the pictures; everyone has. Come on, mate, you know I don’t mind the leftovers. You’ve broken her in good, right?”

The Cruciatus Curse was on Marcus’ lips and his wand at Terence’s throat when a hand covered his hand and firmly pushed it down. A wary looking Adrian moved to stand between the two men.

“Don’t be stupid; he’s not worth the time in Azkaban. You know how he blurts out things he’ll regret in the morning when he’s drunk.”

“Step aside, Adrian,” Marcus hissed. “Drunk or not, no one gets away with saying those things.”

“Yeah, Ade. Be a good boy and step away. This is a grown-up issue,” Terence mocked, he was on a roll. “Poor ickle Marcus needs to defend his honour because his whore of an ex - oh, sorry- wife can’t keep her legs shut. Who knows who she’s blowing back there? I hear she’s excellent at that.” 

People in their vicinity stopped their chatter and turned around to look at what was going on. Among them was Julius Flint, Marcus’ older brother. He only heard the last part of what Higgs said and hurried over to help Adrian. He had been waiting the whole day for the other shoe to drop, but he had expected it would have involved Katie. 

“You’re a dead man!” Marcus lunged at Terence, only to be pushed away by Adrian again. Julius pulled him further back by his shoulders.

“Don’t listen to him,” his brother whispered in his ear. “He’s drunk. Don’t let him get to you.”

It took all of Julius’ strength to keep a struggling Marcus in line. In the distance, he could see the concerned look on their mother’s face. The last thing he needed was for her to get upset as well.

“Go cool off,” Adrian ordered as he came to stand before Marcus to obscure Terence from his sight. He added quietly, “We’ll deal with him.”

“Listen to Pucey,” Julius ordered as he eyed Higgs. He hoped that the arrogant prick had his affairs in order because the chance of him getting home unscathed tonight were slim to none. “Go break something and calm down before Mum sees you.”

Marcus shrugged his brother off and pushed Adrian aside. He pointed his wand at Terence again. “We’re not done yet.”

When he marched away along the same route Katie had taken a few minutes earlier, he could hear Higgs’s guffaw in response. Someone was going to pay for the humiliation.


End file.
